[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 25, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2676-S2677]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING MAJOR GENERAL 
                PHILIP G. KILLEY FOR 40 YEARS OF SERVICE

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, today I salute a great American and South 
Dakotan, Major General Philip G. Killey.
  General Killey, currently the Adjutant General of the South Dakota 
National Guard, retires at the end of this week, after 40 years of 
service. His service includes nearly a quarter-century with the South 
Dakota National Guard, including two separate appointments as Adjutant 
General covering more than 6 years.
  Since September 11, 2001, General Killey's job has become more 
demanding and complex, but, as ever through his career, he has proven 
worthy of the challenge. Since September 11, his troops have been 
performing a broad variety of missions, from bolstering security at our 
State's airports to enforcing the no-fly zone over Iraq, from fighting 
forest fires to keeping the peace in Bosnia. All this, while also 
staying trained and ready for their next assignment.
  Now, that next assignment is here. About 1,200 South Dakota Guard 
personnel have been called to active duty as part of our Nation's 
buildup on the borders of Iraq. Given the small population of our 
State, this is a major contribution. In fact, on a per capita basis, 
South Dakota is contributing more Guard personnel than all but five 
other States. This is a much larger commitment than the South Dakota 
Guard was asked to provide during Desert Storm, its other major call-up 
of the post-Cold War period, and it has come at a time when General 
Killey is already managing other high-priority commitments.
  Managing these tasks and the Iraq call-up turns out to be the 
capstone event of General Killey's long military career, and it stands 
as a real testament to his skill and leadership. It is at critical 
moments like this, when your resources are stretched thin and you are 
asked to do even more, that gaps in training, leadership or equipment 
will reveal themselves. But in South Dakota, General Killey's troops 
have met the test. They are ready, and it shows.
  Over the years, General Killey and I have worked together on many 
fronts to improve the equipment and facilities of the Guard. In the 
past 2 years, we have been able to secure nearly $35 million in 
construction funds to improve 7 Guard facilities at Camp Rapid, Fort 
Meade, Pierre, Watertown, Mitchell, and Sioux Falls. We were able to

[[Page S2677]]

secure $97 million to upgrade 2 battalions of the multiple launch 
rocket system, one in South Dakota and one in Arkansas, making our 
artillery system one of the most modern and battle-ready in the 
National Guard.
  In these and other endeavors, I have come to appreciate and respect 
General Killey for his vision, his energy and initiative, and his 
sophistication in dealing with both military and civilian authorities. 
It's been a valuable and productive partnership.
  We clearly owe a debt of gratitude to General Killey for 40 years of 
patriotic service to our State and our Nation. I am proud to call him a 
fellow South Dakotan and wish all the best for him and his wife, Ellen.

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